TNT Sports’s ‘The Match’ is returning for the 10th rendition. But pro golfers will be restricted to their jobs in the booths. Rather, Hollywood A-listers and legendary athletes will stomp the greens later this month. It will also be a two-day event, unlike the last iterations. 

‘The Match: Superstars’ field includes Bill Murray, Mark Wahlberg, Charles Barkley, Wayne Gretzky, Michael Phelps, Nate Bargatze, Ken Griffey, Jr., and Blake Griffin. Barkley is the most experienced among the lot, with this being his ninth appearance at the made-for-TV match. Murray is an avid golfer who has been a regular at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Phelps’s love for Golf is well-known. The 23-time Olympics Gold Medalist carries a 7 handicap. But then Phelps is famous for swimming, Barkley for his NBA exploits, Gretzky for his escapades inside the rink, and so on. So, there is a pushback from traditional golf fans about a celebrity match. 

This is the only third time ‘The Match’ has excluded any professional golfers. In the sixth edition of ‘The Match’, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers went head to head against Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes. Last year, Mahomes joined forces with Travis Kelce as they went against Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry.

Other than these two, ‘The Match’ has generally paired non-golfers with pros. Charles Barkley has paired up with Phil Mickelson even though their opponent team comprised Peyton Manning and Curry. Lefty also teamed up with Tom Brady in 2021 and locked horns with Bryson DeChambeau and Aaron Rodgers. 

Some editions have also featured only professional golfers. The last iteration brought in Rory McIlroy, Max Homa, Lexi Thompson, and Rose Zhang. Whereas, the first edition of The Match featured Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson in a 1-v-1 showdown. So, it was not surprising that golf fans were not enthusiastic about the upcoming season. 

More importantly, the unorthodox format hasn’t appealed to them yet. The two-man scramble in the first round will pit Barkley and Griffey against Murray and Gretzky. Whereas, Wahlberg and Phelps will take on Bargatze and Griffin. But from there, the semifinals and finals are individual match plays.

The sudden swing from team play to individual format has landed TNT’s ball deep inside a bunker. Very few fans seem enamored by it. Besides, there is one more factor. And it has nothing to do with the Match itself, but rather its timing.

The Showdown overshadows The Match

Another factor to take into consideration is ‘The Showdown’. The 18-hole exhibition match will feature Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler (1st team), Brooks Koepka, and Bryson DeChambeau (2nd team). Obviously, this will play out in the backdrop of PGA Tour vs. LIV Golf. Although the two sides are closer to an agreement now, loyal fans of both tours are still in a belligerent mood. 

Although the 10th edition of The Match will occur almost a month before The Showdown, it has drawn an obvious comparison. One that’s not in its favor. Many fans commented they would’ve preferred if the lineup included someone like a Scheffler or a DeChambeau. 

The Match Superstars will take place in Breakers West Country Club in West Palm Beach. TNT will air it on Primetime on November 21 and 22. The winner will pocket $1M.